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About Paul Wilczynski
Expertise
Most questions involving vintage car restoration, mechanical and body, paint and upholstery. Parts sourcing. Extensive experience in wood-bodied station wagons, British and French cars of the '40s through '70s. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, Citroen Maserati, VW Beetle, 1955-65 Chevrolet (especially Nomad station wagons), Corvair.
Experience
Wide-ranging and long-term. I owned a restoration shop in the 1970s, continue to dabble in vintage exotics. At one time, had a seven-car collection of contemporary exotics which I had restored and maintained myself.
When I was 18 years old, I designed a woodie kit for the VW Beetle, which I developed into a product which was featured on television and in over 100 magazines and 25 books at last count. I still own and drive one of my creations.
I owned a design and fabrication consultancy from 1982-2002, specializing in show car fabrication for manufacturers including Ford, Mazda, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, etc.
Since 2003, I have been a department manager in Industrial Design, and a full-time instructor in automotive design and fabrication at the university level. My students go on to design automobiles as staff designers for major auto manufacturers worldwide.
Organizations
Western Automotive Journalists, Industrial Design Society of America.
Publications
Long list of magazines and books, including Playboy, VW Trends, VW Greats, Hot VWs, and European automotive magazines.
Education/Credentials
I teach design and fabrication at university level. My education is in Industrial Design, University of Illinois (1966-1970).
Awards and Honors
Many awards for restorations in local concours and shows.
Past/Present Clients
Mazda, Ford, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche.
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You are here: Experts > Shopping > Vintage Cars > Classic/Antique Car Repair > brakes
Expert: Paul Wilczynski - 10/29/2009
Question
I just biought a 51 ford f1 pickup. Runs and drives great, but the brakes went out. When pushing the pedal down there's nothing. Pumping them doesn't help. Mybe needs fluid? Where is the master cylinder. I don't see it when looking under the hood. As you can tell, I am quite a novice at this. Thnaks!
Answer
Don't drive it until the brakes have been gone through 100%. You are putting your life and the lives of everyone in traffic around you, on the line!
Many of these trucks have been modified over the decades...if the master cylinder isn't on the firewall, look under the floorboard on the drivers' side.
Chances are, unfortunately, that adding fluid isn't going to fix anything. Rebuild kits for the MC are available for less than $20.00, and complete rebuilt ones for around $100.00. But you should also replace all of the brake lines and rebuild the wheel cylinders on all four wheels. The flex hoses, front and back, should also be replaced with new. These swell over time and will burst and kill your brakes just when you need them most.
PLEASE take my advice--take this one off the road until the brakes have been properly rebuilt!
Good luck.
--Paul
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